Bundle binding and tying machine



J. M. LEAVER. JR

BUNDLE BINDING AND TYING MACHINE Filed Feb- 21, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet ,2

INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY Jamw Jmzm p 15, 1936. J. M. LEAVER, JR 2,054,603

BUNDLE BINDING AND TYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheef 3 dmaflflmcnd}; INVENTOR, WITNESSES I ATTORNEY Set 1936- J. M LEAVER; JR 2,054,603

- BUNDLE BINDING AND TY ING MACHINE Filed Fe1 .-21, 1921 9" Sheets-$heet 4 R sg . 1 H l I I WITNESSES ATTORN EY Sept. 15, 1936. J. M. LEAVER, JR

BUNDLE BINDING AND TYING MACHiNE WITNESSES Sept. 15, 1936. J. M. LEAVER, JR 2,054,603

BUNDLE BINDING AND TYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 WITNESSES Sept. 15, 1936. J. M. LEAVER, JR

BUNDLE BINDING AND TYING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Feb. 21, 1921 Tamas .jlfleavel .I T R,

ATTOR N EY Sept. 15, 1936 J. M LEAVER, J 2,054,603

BUNDLE BINDING AND TYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 WITNESSES S S I ATTORNEY- Sept- 1936- J. M. LEAN/ER, JR 2,054,603

BUNDLE BINDING AND 'IYING MACHINE Filed Feb. 21, 1921 9 Sheets-Sheet 9' WITNESSES Y Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED S A-Tes- PATENT OFFICE L '94 Claims.

This invention relates tomachines for binding bundles, boxes,- and the like.

The invention relates to bundle binding machines in which a band is drawn from a source of supply, tensionedand maintained under tension, and wrapped and secured taut about a bundle which may be considered to consist of a number of articles of like kind assembled together, a box, or any kind of a package or bundle of various dimensions within the bundle receiving capacity of the machine, without/dragging the band across any corner or face thereof, and without the re-- and which features, by reason of their novelty, it

is believed may be best understood by recital of some of the objects of the invention preliminary to the reading of that part of the specification relating to the disclosure of the drawings, the following introductory objects are recited with the understanding that the language of said recited objects is not to be construed as embracing the extent or the scope of'the invention and it is also to be understood that other objects of the invention are to be found in the further reading of the specification and the showing of the drawings.

Although my inventionis herewith illustrated and described in connection with a formof bundle binding machine using wire as a banding element, it will be apparent that the invention is basic and primary in many respects, and is desirable-and adaptable for use in connection with other forms of binding machines using any suitable binding material, and I intend to claim the same broadly and in the fullest scope in the appended claims.

An object of the invention is to provide a machine which is readily adjwtable for all conditions of service in the binding of bundles manually located in binding position, without dragging the binding element across the material or cormm of the bundle, and which is capable of binding either compressible or incompressible bundles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which will place one or more bands under tension at desired points about a bundle manually located in binding position, and see the ends of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which is capable of binding and tying a 5 plurality of bundles manually located in binding position, at the one time. Another object of the invention is to furnish a machine with a bundle binding mechanism which will convexly tension and place a band un- 10 der predetermined tension about .a bundle, or the like, manually located in binding position, regardless of the size of the same within the bundle receiving capacity of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a 15 machine with novel and useful simplified features of construction, and mechanical apparatus such as provides increased capacity in the binding and securing of bands about bundles and renders such machine particularly suitable to the varying 20 and erupting requirements of all branches of the bundle binding trade.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which is capable of completely banding and securing a tensioned band about a bundle 25 manually located in binding position, in such manner that the same tightly and securely embraces and maintains the bundle firm and compact, thereby conserving space, and preventing loss ofcontents thereof, by reason of pilferage, or no shrinkage, or breakage, or damage due to-handling, transportation, warehousing etc. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which will convexly tension and tightly bind and secure a metallic band about a box, ship- 33 ping case, crate or container manually located in binding position, whereby the tightly applied and secured band will reinforce the" same to suchextent that lighter material may be used in the-construction of said box, shipping case, crate 40 or container, and a considerable saving in material cost effected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bundle binding mechanism capable of wrapping a ban'd entirely around a bundle without sliding it across any corner of the bundle and disposing initial and terminal portions thereof in overlapped relation ,within band uniting mechanism, whereby actuation of the uniting mechanism results in securing the wrapped band about the bundle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bundle binding mechanism capable of wrap' ping a tensioned band completely about a bundle and for disposing initial and terminal portions thereof in overlying or overlapping relation within the slot of a rotary twister disposed in band receiving register in the plane in which the band is wrapped, whereby rotation of the twister results in intertwisting the portions to secure the band about the bundle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a band Wrapping mechanism operative to pass a band twice in the same plane within band uniting mechanism and into overlying relation therein, during each cycle of movement 01 said band wrapping mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a band wrapping mechanism operative to pass a wire twice into tying register through and within the slot of a rotary wire twister in. register with the plane of movement of the wire, during each. cycle of movement of said band wrapping mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a band wrapping mechanism operative. alternately in clockwise and counter-clockwise directiom and adapted during each cycle of movement thereof to pass a wire twice. through and within. the-narrow. slot oi a slotted twister disposed in wire re.- ceiving register in the plane in which the wire is wrapped or passed.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a band wrapping mechanism operative to provide a lead section of a tensioned band below the plane of supporting a. bundle and to pass the band twice within band uniting mechanism during each cycle of movement of said band wrapping mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bundle binding mechanism capable of movement first in one direction andthen inthe, other during each cycle of movement thereof to first. wrap a binding element completely about a bundle and to then retract a newly gripped lead section. of the element from its position at the completion of the binding of the bundle toanother position from which the element is more readily applicable to another bundle in the succeeding cycle of movement of. said mechanism.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel and. useful bundle binding mechanism movable in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions in a circular path of travel and having a plurality of lead-off bandapplying and guiding means coadjacently and cooperatively mounted in respective band guiding positions whereby-the lead of the band transfers or disengages from one of said guide means and is engaged and convexly-tensioned and wrapped about the bundle by theothen ofsaid guidemeans during each cycle of operation of the binding mechanism. Another object of. the invention. is the provision. of; novel means for reversing and actuating the bundle binding mechanism whereby said mechanism receives controlled-actuation inclockwise and counter-clockwise directions during each cycle of operation thereof. I

Another object of the-invention is toproyide a gripping. mechanism for compensatingly and firmly gripping the end ofa binding element without the requirement of substituting apart or parts of gripping mechanism when the size or gage oi the binding element varies within the limit of yieldability of said mechanism Another object of. the invention is to provide novel bundle supporting and positioning means whereby a bundle may belocatedin proper binding position on the support irrespective oithe width of the bundle-within the bundle receiving capacity of the machine.

band about a bundle for moving the bound bundle in a horizontal plane out of the position in which it was bound and secured and through the machine.

Another object is to provide means for gripping the lead of the wire at the .end of its movement. around a bundle and through the tying means in one direction, and for passing the wire through the tying means in the opposite direction whereby the wire-is bent over the gripping means.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing in the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:-

Fig. l. is a front elevation of a machine constituting an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the bundle clamping mechanism showing-the bundle clamped.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional view.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view omitting certain of the mechanism. for greater clearness.

Fig. 5 is. a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing the bundle conveying means, the

bundle abutment and the releasing means therefor.

5 is an elevation of. the conveyor drive gear.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at right angles to'Fig. 5 and illustrating portions of the bundle clamping means as well as of the bundle abutment releasing means.

Fig. 7- is a. detail view of the upper end of the abutment bar and adjacent parts.

Fig. 8 is a detail of the wire guiding wheels provided. on the machine frame.

Fig. 9 is a view showing the knotter mechanism and a. slightly modified form of the carrier.member adapted to accommodate a modified relation of the wire wrapping meanswhereby the wire has transferred from one of said means to another of said means during the movement of said means from the position shown in Fig. 2 for wrapping the wireinto the knotter mechanism,

Fig. 10. is an ele atiQn of the knotter mechanism looking from the left hand side of Fig. 9 and showing the knot completed and the wire end gripped. Fig. 11.15 a similar view showing the position of the wire after. the bundle has been moved and the. bundle binding. device has reversed its direction of movement to provide the initial tie strand of wirewithin. the slot of the twister preparatory to wrapping a wire about the bundle.

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the knotter mechanism. I

Fig. 13 is a plan of the gearwhlch drives the lated from bundle receiving adjustable crowding wheel on the free end of the wire tensioning arm.

Fig. 15 is a similar view illustrating the mounting of the outermost wheel onsaid arm. Fig. 16 is a diagrammaticview illustrating the curvilinear path of travel of the bindingmeans about a bundle positioned within the area defined by the movement of said means, that surface within the dotted curvilinear path of travel of the binding pulleys 94 and 95 and the horizontal plane of the bundle support being the area referred to in the claims and specification. This view also illustrates the movement of the binding apparatus about a stationary bundle positioned on the support within the radius of its path of travel.

Fig. 17 is a front elevation of a machine capable of placing two bands simultaneously about a bundle at the desired points, some of the frame parts being omitted for clearness.

Fig. 18 is a similar view of a machine capable of handling two bundles of different dimensions simultaneously and adapted to bind and tiee'ach bundle with a single band, the machine frame and distant parts being omitted. I I

The machine of the present invention is funda- -mentally designed to bind bundles in the position in which they are manually located for binding, provision being made for the clamping of the bundles so located during the initial wrapping movement of the binder. Being so designed,-it is readily distinguishable from that class of machines in which bundles are mechanically transposition to bundlebinding position.

The form of machine herein illustrated and described'is constructed to -draw wire from a coil, place the wire under tension and pass it around a bundle of box, which is preferably compressibly held, and secure the wire taut around the bundle or box; it will be understood that the wire is sometimes designated a tie wire, and when encircled about the bundle, a tie. It provides an oscillatory bundle binding mechanism movable in an arcuate path for wrapping a wire completely about a bundle without dragging the same across any face or corner of the bundle, and a knotter mechanism, including a slotted twisting device, disposed intermediate spaced fixed bundle supporting elements, into the slot of which twisting device initial and terminal portions of the wire are introduced directly by the bundle binding mechanism. The bundle binding mechanism is provided with a plurality of wire guidemeans which maintain the feed of the wire free of contact with the bundle during the wrapping of the wire thereabout, and a lead-off member consisting of a pair of wire guides mounted in respective band guiding positions whereby during movement of the bundle binding mechanism the wire is directed into the slot of the twisting device around the bundle and again into the slot of said device, the lead of the wire transferring or disengaging'from one of said guides and being directed or engaged by the other of-said guides during the initial movement of said mechanism. Means adjustable toward and from the knotter mechanism are provided for locating a bundle in proper binding and tying position on the bundle supporting elements. The wire, while in tension, is automatically gripped adjacent the twisting device, then wrapped by the bundle bind- I acts-cos 1 knotter mechanism, showing the wire cutter or g 3 mg mechanism into theslot thereof and a sufficie'nt distance around a bundle to completely bind-the; bundle and overlap the portion of the wire within-said slot, whereby rotation of the twisting device intertwistingly unites the portions;

therein to secure the encircled wire taut about the Means are then from the coil and for ejecting the united portions from the twisting device and moving the bound bundle out of the machine. The twisting device is arranged with its slot facing away from and at right angles to one face of the bundle so that the provided for cutting the united wire free from the strand of wire leading the twisting device and out of the machine. The

. bundle binding mechanism is operative alternately in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions about an axis passing through the bundle,

, and. in 'one'direction of'movement thereof convexly tensions and 'wraps the wire completely around the'bundle tightly against three faces thereof,'and in the opposite direction of movement retracts and guides a newly gripped lead section from its position at the completion of the binding of the bundle to another position from which the wireis more readily applicable to another bun'dle-in the succeeding cycle'of movement of said mechanism. Reversal of movement of the bundle binding mechanism causes the wire to be bent around the gripper, thus greatly increasing the holding eiTect of the gripper and permitting the wire to be held under high tension, and also provides the initial tie portion of the wire within the twisting device. Said reversal of movement also provides for the arranging of a lead section of the wire below the plane of the bundle support for ready and quick application to the lower face of the bundle during each cycle of operation of the bundle binding mechanism. Means are provided for delivering the wire under predetermined tension and for maintaining the wire leading to the bundle binding mechanism and the gripping device in tension during the clockwise and counter-clockwise directions of movement of the bundle binding mechanism, said means being responsive to variable tension on the Wire. Means are embodied for timing and controlling the operation of the bundle binding mechanism and the bundle clamp, and for timing and controlling the operation of the twisting device, the cutter, the gripper, and the means for ejecting the united portions of the wire and moving the bound bundle out of the machine. Other. features of construction and operation are disclosed and will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

provided upon which the working parts may be supported. Upon the base of the machine an electric motor i3 is set, this. motor having a pinion l4 meshing with the main drive gear i5. Instead of employing a self-contained power unit,

the machine may be driven by a belt, or in any other manner. A clutch I6 is interposed between 15 the main drive gear l5 and the main drive shaft 20. This clutch, which is operated by a connecting element l! and afoot lever t8 pivoted at. t9 upon the frame, is of the type which permits but one revolution of the main drive shaft at a. time and thereafter automatically disengages the shaft from its drive gear. One form of such a clutch is described in detail in a co-pending application filed by me May 10, 1920, Serial No. 380,375, and is shown particularly in Figs. 15 to 20, inclusive, of the drawings forming a part of said application.

The main .drive shaft 20 is journaled at its opposite ends in the frames l2. The end of the shaft remote from the drive gear I5 carries a combined cam and intermittent drive gear element 2 I, best seen in Fig. 3. This element is preferably in the. form of a "circular flat plate whose periphery is smooth and unbroken except for a small section thereof where gear teeth 22 are provided. These gear teeth, as indicated, project only partly beyond the periphery and the arcuate extent of these teeth may approximate a quadrant. One side face of. element 2 i has a cam groove 26 formed therein andthis cam groove has an arcuate part concentric with the shaft 20, constituting a rest portion approximating 180 degrees. The remainder of the cam groove 26 is designed so asto give an oscillating motion to the follower element toward and from the center of the cam, with a short rest portion 26 interposedbetween the portions which cause the oscillation of the follower. By reference to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the cam groove 26 is so formed and designed that it imparts shockless and gradually accelerating movement to the lever 21, and its connecting features hereinafter described.

A lever 21 is pivoted upon a bracket 29 secured to the machine frame and carries a roller 28 running in the cam groove 26. The free end of the lever 21 ispivotally joined to a connecting link 33 having a length nearly equal to the height of the machine. The upper end of link 30 is pivotally connected, as at 32, to an extension arm 3! rigid with a quadrant gear 33, which is pivoted, as at 33, upon the machine frame. From the foregoing description, it will be clear that each revolution of element 2| causes swinging of lever 21 toward and from the center of cam 2| and consequently the swinging of the quadrant gear 33 through an arc. The two extreme positions of the quadrant gear 33 are illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the position of Fig. 2 being the normal position, when the machine is at rest, and at the start and finish of the cycle of operations. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted that the construction of the rotary element 2i is such that said element actuates the respective actuating elements 23 and 21; in controlled and timed relation thereby serving as a single element adapted to perform the aforesaid functions.

The quadrant gear 33 meshes with a gear 34 secured to one end of a countershaft 35. As seen in Fig. 4, this countershaft extends for a distance less than half the length of. the machine- The quadrant gear 33 and the gear 34, constitute rack and pinion mechanism designed to effect oscillation and reversal of movement. Also secured to this shaft is a link .36 pivotally connected. at its extremity to the upper end of an oscillatory or reversing mounting member 38 and which menaber is oscillated and reversed by the rack and pinion mechanism 33 and 34. A similar link 31 is pivoted, asat-3'la-upon an auxiliary frame M (Fig. 3') intermediate the ends of the machine andzsupported by a plurality of upper and lower frame connecting rods 33, 40. The other end of link 31 is pivotally connected to the member 38 at an intermediate point. The links 36 and 31 are of exactly the same length, and the arrangement is such that the links 36, 31 form a parallel motion linkage for themember 38 whereby the member 38 is maintained vertical at all times and is moved forwardly in a circular path in a medial vertical plane and vice versa when the gear 34 is rotated by the quadrant gear 33. The disposition of the auxiliary frame M is such that the member 38 moves in a vertical plane preferably midway -between the ends of the machine; and for the type of machine illustrated in Figs. 1 to 16, inclusive, this auxiliary frame is immovable whereby the position of the member 38 relative to the machine ends is unvarying.

From a consideration of the member 38 and its actuating mechanism I will turn to the bundle clamping means. A pair of cams 42 are secured upon the main drive shaft 20, these cams being duplicates. There is an arm 43 provided for each cam 42, each arm carrying a roller 44 adapted to ride upon the edge of the corresponding cam. One end 46 of each arm 43 is pivoted upon a rod 45 extending longitudinally of the machine from end to end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The end 46 is enlarged and as best seen in Fig. 1 has an annular groove 41 into which a stud 49 carried by the lower end of a bar 49 projects. The opposite end of arm 43 is reduced and perforated to fit about an upright rod 51see Fig. 2. A coil spring 52 is mounted on the rod 5| at the lower end thereof, which is screw-threaded so that a nut 53 may adjust the tension of the spring 52. The weight of the arm 43 is thrown on the spring 52; and when the cam 42 depresses the arm 43, the spring 52 is compressed as indicated in Fig. 2 A washer is interposed between the spring 52 and the arm 43, as shown. 'The spring 52 as seen in Fig. 3 maintains the arn jjg other words, the arm 43 is depressed only during the initial movement of the member 38 around the bundle and for a brief period after such movement. As seen in Fig. 3, the cam 42 is so placed that it intercepts the short rest portion 26* of the cam groove 26. This rest portion is where the roller 28 lies when the machine itself is at rest. Thus, as soon as the foot lever i8 is depressed and the c utch thrown in, the arm 43 is moved down in the manner shown and described, and simultaneously with the initial movement of the bundle binding member 38. This depression of arm 43 effects clamping of the bundle as will be described, while the encircling movement of the member 38 encloses the bundle with a binding element. The cams 42 are so designed that they do not immediately release the bundle after the member 38 assumes the position of Fig. 3, but on the contrary gradually release it. whereby, as will be later described, the knotting starts before the clamping means is lifted: from the bundle.

The upper end of rod. ii is bifurcated and is 'spect to oversized bundles.

pivotally connected with a guiding bar 54. Each guiding bar 54 is longitudinally slotted as at 60- (Figs. '2 and 5), whereby a bundle clampingbar 5| preferably of angular section may be adjustably secured thereto by bolts 62 or the like. The bundle 53 is partially supported at the two ends thereof upon one-piece guides and supports 55 which extend approximately the entire width of the machine, are in the form of upright frames and may, if desired, be castings. Each support 55 not only upholds the ends of the bundle but also receives a conveyer chain 64 and carries driving mechanism for said chain. The purpose of supporting the bundles at each end thereof as shown in Fig. 1 is primarily for the purpose of steadying the same during the clamping of the bundle, but it will be understood from Fig. 1 that the central bundle supports will of themselves constitute sufficient support for the bundle.

As best seen in Fig. 6, the intermediate part of the guiding bar 54 is adjacent the guide frames 55 on the outside thereof and each guiding bar is held to the supporting frame, being slidable vertically with respect thereto. A bracket 59 is secured to each support 55--and has a slot for whereby the latter is normally held against the bracket 59. The spring 5'! also serves to maintain the pressure clamping bar 5i normally above the top of the bundles. When arm is moved down. by its cam, the spring 52 is compressed, rod 5| and bar 54 move downwardly, spring 51 is compressed, and bar 6| descends upon the bundle top to clamp the bundle upon its support, as seen in Fig. 2 By reference to Figs. 2 and 2 it will be noted that the spring 52 is arranged and adapted to compensate for variations in the sizes of bundles, withinthe limits of yieldability or compensation of said spring 52, and it will be understood that the'effectiveness of said spring as to either the holding or compressing of a bundle is simply a matter of predetermining the degree of yieldability or the force to be applied through the medium of said spring. The spring 52 not only serves to accommodate bundles of varying dimensions and to predetermine the holding or compression of the bundle as may be de-. sired, but it also serves to eliminate breakage of clamping features wherein the clamps are. positively driven and have no yieldability with re- The clamping features 42, 44 and 51 provide for respectively clamping the bundle and releasing the clamp from the bundle.

With respect to the operativeness of the spring 51, it will be obvious to any mechanic, without a drawing, by reference to Fig. 1, that the pro jections 56 and 58 may be reversed as to position and thereby the spring 51, would serve to actuate the clamp for clamping the bundle, and with respect to the operativeness of the cam 42, by reference to Fig. 3 it will be likewise obvious that by reversing and placing the elements 43, 44 and 45 above the cam 42 the cam wouldserve to lift the bar 54 and release the clamping means from the bundle. This is reversing of parts, clearly shown in Figs. 2, 10,11 and 12 of the applicants pending application Serial No. 380,375, filed May 10, 1920. The combination of opposed spring action and cam action insures rapid, ad;

'member 38 moves in this plane.

' mean's.

justable clamping action, and it is to be uncerstood that this combination featureof the invention is not limited to the particular arrange ment of said features as disclosed in the drawings.

The means for adjusting the positions of supports 55 will now be described. The bars 49 (Figs. 1 and 3) are secured at their upper ends to the bundle guides and supports 55. Similar bars 50 are secured to the same elements.- The lower ends of the bars 50 have studs 50 fitting in annular grooves 48 provided on extensions of the cams 42. The bundle supports are mounted upon two or more horizontal rods 51 secured to the frame and are themselves horizontal, extending from'front to rear of the machine. rods 51 act as guides for the bundle supports 55. A screw-threaded shaft .58 passes through the two bundle supports 55 engaging with each by means of right and left hand screw threads. One end of theshaft 68 is squared as indicated at 69, Fig. 1, whereby a tool may be applied to that end to effect rotation of the shaft. This rotation causes approach or withdrawal of the two 'supports 55 with respect to the medial plane of the machine. As previously pointed out, the

supports may be accommodatedfor all lengths of bundles, while the member 38 passes bands necting mechanism to follow the bundle supports.

Thus, turning of shaft 58 causes adjustment of the bundle supporting means, the bundle clamping means; and, as 'will be described, of the bundle abutment and of the bundle conveying The member 38 and the cooperating knotter mechanism, being at all times central of the bundle, need no adjustment.

The bundle supports 55 have races or channels along the edges thereof in which the chains 64 run, as seen in Fig. 6. These chains are thus housed within the bundle supports and do not support the bundle itself. Each chain is driven. by a sprocket 55 (Fig. 5) at the rear end of the bundle support 55. An idler sprocket 65 turns at the other end. The sprockets are fast to a shaft 13 which extends the length of the machine. That end of the, shaft 13 which is' adja-v cent the intermittent gear 2| carries a spur gear 12 meshing with an intermediate gear ll carried upon a stub shaft 1| (Fig. 1). This stub shaft also carries a gear 10 (Fig. 5 whose teeth lower portion of a bound bundle to carry the same out of the machine after binding and tying have been completed. The gear 10, which may be termed the conveyer drive gear, and the intermediate gear II are exactly alike in all respects except that the drive gear 10 has some of its teeth missing and in their place a concave block is provided which is adapted to slide over the periphery of the intermittent gear 2|.

5' shows the construction of the gear 10.

The action of the intermittent gear'2l is to hold the conveyer mechanism stationary during approximately three quarters of its revolution.

Thus the bundle Then the teeth 22 are brought into. engagement with the end of the concave block'of the gear 10, whereupon the latter is rotated. The rotation of gear Ill causes movement of the lugs 14 into engagement with the bound bundle to carrythe bundle out of the machine; but this does not take place until after the knotting has been oompleted.

The two bundle supports 55 carry frames which, together with the supports, provide what might be termed a bundle receiving station de signed to receive bundles directly into binding and tying position as the bundles are manually forwarded forbinding. These frames are threesided and comprise front and rear parallel ups rights 75, it and a horizontal upper member Tl parallel to support 55 which is slotted as at ll, longitudinally. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7, an abutment bar 78 is carried by each of these frames. Brackets l9 are secured along the upper horizontal bars ll, and bolts passing through the slots ll provide means whereby the positions of the brackets 79 may be adjusted as desired. (See Fig. 7.) 'at its upper end upon a pin or the like it passing through the bracket is and supported thereby. A torsion spring 80 ismounted on this pin and has one end secured to the bracket, while the other end is connected with the abutment bar. The action of this spring is to hold normally each abutment bar in a vertical position, and if the abutment bars are swung out of such a position, they automatically return thereto. A stop 80 is carried by the bracket '59 and prevents swinging of the abutment bar beyond the vertical position on its return. The abutment bars 78 provide means for locating the bundles in binding and tying position, and it is against these bars that the piles of shooks are'thrust for alignment when the bundles of shooks are first placed in the machine. The knotting mechanism, to be described, is located at a fixed point on the machine and the abutment bars 78 are adjustable toward and away from the knotter mechanism according to the width of the bundles, to provide for the placement of the bundles directly into tying location thereagain-st. For very narrow bundles the adjustable abutments will adjust to a position close to the knotter mechanism. This adjustable feature is a modification of the adjustable abutment feature disclosed in my pending application, Serial No. 380,375, filed May 1-0, 1920. It was previously stated that the clamping bars iii are adjustable vertically to provide for clamping bundles of varying heights, and it has also been pointed out that the bundle supports and associated mechanisms are movable longitudinally of the machine to provide for bundles of varying length.

Each of the abutment bars 78 is normally held tucked in vertical position by a latch 83 engaging with the reduced and bent end 8-1 of the abutment bar to prevent movement thereof during placement of the bundle there-against and during the binding thereof (see Fig. 5). The latch 83 is secured upon a counterbalanced depression bar 82 by means of a screw or the like passing through a slot t4 provided in the latch; thus the position of the latch piece 83 longitudinally of the depression bar may be adjusted so that it will engage nicely with the end Bl. The depression bar '82 is pivotally connected with two counterbalancing elements 85 in the nature of weights, each of which is pivoted as at 86 upon the bundle support 56. The action of the weights Each abutment bar it is pivoted lead-oil pulleys 94 and 95 85 is to tend to move the bar 82 with its latch piece 83 upwardly toward the top of the bundle supports 55. ,The rear end of each depression bar 32 has an ofiset 32 A gravity-actuated locking trip '81 is pivoted as at 89 on each bundle support 55 above the ofiset 82*. One end of the trip 8'! is squared while the other end is beveled as indicated at 88.

As shown in Fig. 6, each depression bar 82 carries a spindle 90 extending through a'cutaway portion Si in the bundle support55 and carrying at its outer end a roller 92. This. roller is engaged by the projection 58 of the guide, bar 54, which prevents the bar 32 from rising above the full line position illustrated in Figs- 5 and '6. When the guide bar is forced down the projection 58 engages the roller 92, thereby depressing the counterbalanced bar 82. When the latter is depressed, it swings downwardly and to the right, as viewed in Fig. 5, the counterbalance elements 85 providing in effect a parallel motion linkage so that the depression bar 82 is at all times horizontal. Thus the latch-piece 83 is carried out of engagement with the end 85 of the abutment bar so that the latter is free to swing upwardly as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5. When this depression takes place, the gravity trip 8! falls into the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 5 and the depression bar is maintained by the gravity trip in the dotted line position until the. bundle 63 is moved out of the machine by the conveyor. As the bundle is forced out, it strikes the beveled end 88 of the trip 87, moving the same into the full line position of Fig. 5, whereupon the counterbalances S5 restore the depression bar 62 to its normal upper position. The outgoing bundle encounters the abutment bars 18 which previously were released and swings them upwardly against the tension of the springs 89. As soon as the bundle is out of the machine, the springs 80 restore the abutment bars to their vertical position. whereupon their lower ends 85 automatically engage with the latch pieces 83. The stops 80 insure latching of the ends 8%.

The novel bundle binding device. or mechanism, will now be described. Considering Figs. 3 and 9 together, it will be seen that the member 38 may be modified as to form to accomodate novel arrangements of lead-off guide means. In Fig. 3, the member 38 has a straight end section 38* and an arcuate section The straight end section 38 carries a lead-01f guide pulley or wheel 94, and the arcuate section 93 carries a lead-off guide pulley or wheel 95, the pulley Q 9 1 being beneath the pulley 95, which pair of lead-off pulleys may be said to constitute a leadoff member. The arcuate section 93 is provided to enable the lead-off pulleys 94 and 95 to clear and passbeneath the knotter mechanism during movement of the member 38 in its curvilinear path of travel about a bundle. In the construction of Fig. 3, the wire I88 passes between the and said pulleys are so close together that the wire leads off from one or the other according to the position of the member 38. In-Fig. 2, the wire may be said to lead off from the upper lead-01f pulley 95, but when the member 38 is in the intermediate positionsee Fig. 3the wire will lead from the lower lead-off pulley94; the run of the wire being at all times in engagement with the lead-off guide of the wire extendingfrom the lead-'ofl pulley 95 to the gripper, hereinafter to be described,

transfers-from said lead-off pulley to and is engaged and directed by the lead-01f pulley 94, or vice versa, according to the direction of movement of the member 38. In. the construction of Fig. 9, the pulleys or wheels 94 and 95" are mounted on the arcuate section 93 withtheir axes of rotation determined by the radius of the curvilinear path of movement of the member 38, whereby, during operation of the member 38, the wire disengages from one pulley and is engaged, and directed by the other pulley. From the showing of Figs. 2, 9 and 16, it is apparent that in the normalposition of. the member 38, and lead-off guide pulleys 94 and 95, the wire and lead-oil pulley 95 will occupy a position corresponding to the position of the wire and lead-oil pulley 95 in Fig- 2, and that during operation of the '95 and is engaged and directed by the lead-oil pulley 94, or vice versa, according to the direction of movement of the member 38, such disengagement being shown in Fig. 9 wherein'the wire I 98 (indicated by broken lines) is shown disengaged from the bottom of the groove (indicated by broken line circle) of the lead-ofi pul-,

ley 95. I above the other, as in Fig. 3, or offset as in Fig. 9, the lead of the wire transfers or disengages from one lead-ofi pulley to the other as the member moves in the arcuate path shown in-Fig. 16.

In each instance, the lead-ofiguide pulley which contacts the lead of the wire upon its transfer or disengagement from the other pulley efiects curving or convexly tensioning'the wire to cause it to tightly hug three sides of the. bundle during movement of the member and the lead-off guide pulleys in their arcuate path of travel about the bundle for wrapping the wire into complete band formation thereabout. By reference to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the lead or the wire has transferred from its lead-oif position on the lead-off guide pulley 95, Fig. 2, to the lead-off guide pulley 94, during the operation of the member 38 in its arcuate path of travel from the position of Fig. 2 to the intermediate position of Fig. 3, and it will be understood that in such transfer of the wire the lead oif guide pulley 94 engages the same in such manner as to curveor convexly tension the wire in a direction to cause it to press inwardly and tightly against three sides of the bundle, as the wire is wrapped into band formation thereabout. Such curving or convexly tensioning of the wire is accomplished by reversal of direction of movement of the member and lead-oil guide pulleys, as is clearly apparent from the disclosure of Figs. 2, 3 and 16, and is of considerable value in the banding of incompressible or relatively incompressible bundles, inasmuch asit eliminates the curving of the wire away from the sides of the bundle and insures tight hugging of the same about the periphery of the bundle; Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 9 and 11, it is seen that the leadoff guide pulleys move in opposite directions in an arcuate path between positions of reversal a suflicient distance to provide and dispose the wire within the knotter mechanism in each direction of their movement, and twice therein during each cycle of movementof said lead-off guide pulleys. Considering Figs. 2, 3, 9 and 16 together, it is seen that the member 38 and lead-off guide pulleys 94 and 95, or 94 and 95, in each cycle of movement thereof, move first from the position Whether the lead-off pulleys are one 94 and aroundsaid pulley the intermediate position of Fig. 3, or Fig. 9, to

the normal position of Fig. 2, to retract and arrange the newly gripped lead of the wire to a position from which the same may be more readily and quickly applied about the succeedingbundle. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, that the retracting and arranging ofthe newly gripped lead of the wire in a position different from that in which the binding of the bundle is completed provides for reduced distance of travel of the member and lead-oif guide pulleys in the wrapping of the wire into band formation about the succeeding bundle to be bound and for more ready and quick application member 38, the wire disengages from the pulley ing their cycle of operation at the position in which the binding of a. bundle is completed. As

will be evident from Figs. 2, 3 and 9, the position of rest of themember 38 and lead-oil guide pulleys 94 and 95, or 94 and 95, may be varied by adjustment of the meshing of the teeth of the gear 35 and oscillating quadrant gear 33, and thedistance of travel of said member and guide pulleys may be increased or diminished by variation of the size or ratio of said gears. While I have preferably illustrated a bundle binding mechanism having a lead-01f member consisting of two coadjacently mounted lead-oil guide pulleys, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, that if one of said pulleys 'is removed, the wire may be so encircled about the otherpulley as to provide for convexly tensioning the same.

.to effect tight hugging of the bundle and the ber, and twice during each cycle of movement thereof; for example, the pulley 95, Fig. 2, may

trained to lead from the gripper over the pulley upwardly to the pulley 96.

It will appear from the foregoing, that the bundle binding device, or mechanism, of 7 this invention is a radical departure from the bundle binding devices of the prior art and I intend to claim the same, and the original features thereof, in the broadest scope.

The member 38 whatever its end construction mounts a pulley wheel 96 (Figs. 1 and '3) which conveniently is on the pivotal element connecting theouter end of link 31 with the member 38. A

secondpulley or wheel 91 is adjacent the pulley 9B, the two being close togetherin a manner similar to the pulleys 94, 95 so that the wire leads off from one or the other according to the positions of the mechanism. When the parts are as shown in Fig. 3, the wire I08 leads 01f from the upper pulley 91, while when the member 38 is in the position of Fig. 2, the wire may be said to lead off from the lower pulley 96.

Referring to Figs. 2,3 and s, it is seen thatthe rear rod 39 supports a bar Hi2 so that the bar may rock thereon in a vertical plane. On the bar I82 is a pair of pulleys 98, 99 which turn on horizontally disposed pivots; these pulleys are spaced apart such a short distance that the wire I08 passes from one to the other just as it shifts between pulleys 96, 91 and pulleys 94, 95. From be removed and the wire I 08. shown in said figure,

the uppermost pulley 99 the wire passes about a pulley I disposed at right angles to the pulley 90 but also lying in a vertical plane, and then the wire passes about a pulley IOI disposed in a horizontal plane and at the upper end of bar I02. (See also Fig. 14). As will be evident from Figs. 2 and 3 the lead-off guide pulleys 94 and 95 mounted in respective wire guiding positions on the member 38, maintain the wire, extending from the pulleys 98 and 99 to the lead-off guide pulleys t and 95, clear of the bundle as the wire is fed to said lead-off guide pulleys during movement of the member 30 and said lead-off guide pulleys about the bundle.

The machine mounts an improved wire slack take-up device which-also maintains a tension on the wire. Because of the oscillatory, or alternating directions of movement of the bundle binding means 96 and 95, it will be readily understood that the wire must be retracted and fed in tensioned state in order to provide the wrapping of a tensioned wire about a bundle and for such reason, the new and useful device herein shown has been devised to take up the slack automatically. Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 14, but particularly to the latter, an arm I02 is there shown as pivoted near the top of the machine frame so as to swing in a horizontal plane. A coil spring I03 is connected at one end to an intermediate point of the arm I02 and at the other end is joined to a screw-threaded rod I04. This screwthreaded rod is received within a hollow stem I05. A nut joins the parts I04, I05 together whereby the tension of the spring I03 may be regulated at will. The stem I95 has an enlargement I00 which is slidable along one of the frame connecting rods 39. A set screw holds stem I95 fixed upon the rod 39. Obviously, by changing the position of the stem I05 and by moving the rod I04 in and out of the stem, the pull of the spring I03 on the swinging slack take-up arm I02 may be regulated as desired.

As Fig. 14 best shows, the swinging end of arm !02 carries three pulleys III], III, N2, the latter being set in a yoke piece or frame I I 3 having a set screw I'M which works against the arm I02 (Fig. 15) so as to adjust the position of the pulley I12, toward and from the other two pulleys. The pulley II 2 may be termed a crowding pulley" since it may be moved up into touching relation to the other two pulleys, whereby the feed of the Wire is retarded as desired. The outer pulley II I is provided with a spring-pressed friction disk III to retard free rotation thereof. (Fig. 15 The combination of the three pulleys one of which is adjust-able toward the other two, and the outer of which is restrained from free turning, constitutes a wire tensioning means which is active only when the wire is fed or paid out. The swinging arm I02 on the contrary is active at all times to take up automatically any slack formed in the wire. The supply of wire is conveniently carried upon a reel supported by a bracket I01, in turn secured to a transverse horizontal bar I08 mounted upon the rods 39. As the wrapping means moves toward and from the pulleys 98 and 99, the wire tensioning and slack take-up device retracts the wire in tension by oscillating between the full line and dotted line positions of Fig. 14, or even beyond the dotted line position. This action may be modified to suit the particular requirements. s-ioner and slack take-up device herein disclosed is an improvement from the standpoint of adaptability over the corresponding mechanisms The wire 5611-.

abuses described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,295,531, dated February 25, 1919, inasmuch-as it co-operates with the wire laying means to both yield and retract a considerable length of wire in accordance with bundle binding considerations.

Although I have shown a certain type of cooperating wire tensioning and slack take-up means it is my intention to claim and use any equivalent means for tensioningly retracting the wire during the operation of wrapping means movable in alternate directions a distance sufficient to permit the binding of bundles without recourse to movement of the bundles during the binding thereof.

The knotting mechanism, the driving means therefor and associated machine parts will now be described. As seen in Fig. 1, the countershaft 24 extends longitudinally of the machine and mounts at one end a gear 23, this gear having a fiat 25 (Fig. 3) adapted to ride over the periphery of the intermi-ttentgear M. The teeth of the gear 23 engage with the teeth 22 of the intermittent gear whereby the countershaft 24 is intermittently driven. At an intermediate point the countershaft 24 mounts a bevel gear II5 meshing with a bevel pinion I15, fast to a knotter drive shaft II I rotatable in a housing H8. The lower end of the housing is bifurcated asindicated at H9, the bifurcations straddling the countershaft 24 where the bevel gear H5 is fixed. The upper end of the housing H8 is joined to or made integral With-a knotter mechanism housing I20. The latter is fast between a pair of intermediate bundle supports I2I correspending to the outer end supports 55 (see Figs. 1

and 3). In place of two intermediate bundle supports a single casting may be provided appropriately fashioned to receive the knotter mechanism. The supports I2I are designated intermediate supports only for the purpose of description, for in=fact they are primary and stationary supports providing means for supporting bundles of themselves and independently of the adjustable supports 55. If desired, conveyer chains I22 may run in guides provided on the intermediate bundle support or supports, and

these chains will have bundle engaging lugs I23 similar to (Fig. 3) lugs I4. The shaft I3 may be employed to actuate chains I22 simultaneously with the chains 64. It is not necessary to prov'ide these intermediate conveyer chains but they are useful if the bundles to be bound are of considerable length.

Near the upper end of the shaft II'I aknotter drive gear I24 is secured so as to rotate in a horizontal plane. (See Figs. 9 to 13, inclusive.) Also secured to the shaft II! is a disk I25 preferably adjacent the gear I24 but beneath the same. Projecting from the disk is a gripper and cutter I26 having a beveled face and a. knife edge I21, the knife edge being straight and adjacent the upper side of the cutter. As seen in igs. 10 and 11, the gripper and cutter element I2! is beveled from the knife edge to the lower edge thereof to bend and grip the wire against the cooperating gripping element I29. A bracket I28 is fixed upon and projects from the forward sideof the knotter mechanism housing and support. The wire gripping element I29 is pivoted upon housing I20 so as to swing in a vertical plane forwardly of the housing I20. A bolt I30 is connected to the swingable gripping member I29 and passes through a perforation provided in bracket I28. A nut I3I secured to'bolt I30 on the under side of bracket I28 provides means member for gripping different thicknesses o wire.- In machines of this type it will be understood that the severe tension put on the wire tends to elongate the wire and thereby cause variation in the size thereof and in order to pro-,:

vide a gripping member suitable for positive gripping of the wire, irrespective of such variations in the wire, I have devised the new and useful adjustable spring pressed gripping member, or gripper, disclosed in Fig. 9. When the cutter and gripper I26 rotates to sever and grip the wire, the lower edge of said cutter and gripper kinks or bends the portion of the wire to be gripped over the gripper, simultaneously with the severing thereof, so that the wire is securely held by the cutter and gripping mechanism I26 and the cooperating gripping member I29 when the tie strand issevered from the wire extending beyond the gripper. The gripper has a groove I32 into which the bent end of the wire I08 is adapted to be received immediately after it has been severed by the knife edge I21 and which groove, '01

depression, may be of any desired depth or width, which serves the purpose of preventing the escape of the grippedend when the binding means moves in a direction tending to pull the tensioned wire sidewise from its gripping position. A bracket I35 is formed integrally with the housing I20 but projects beyond the same to support and substantially enclose a knotter head .I3'I. This knotter head has a gear I34 secured thereto and meshing with and driven by the gear I24, the knotter head being therefore rotatable within the supporting bracket I35. The lower face of gear I34 comes flush with the cutter I26 to form a shearing edge. The bracket I35 is slotted as indicated at I36, this slot being-V shaped or tapering in width inwardly. The depth of this slot is sufiicient to bring the wire I08 to the exact center of the knotter head, if desired, so that one end of. the wire may be coiled about the other. If, however, a twist knot is to be made, this slot will extend not quite to or beyond the center whereupon the wire ends will be twistedabout eachother. The drawings (Figs. 9 and 10) indicate a twist knot I38 with the extremities of the tie strands in the same parallel relation as originally provided by the banding means. The I I knotter head itself is-slotted differentially as inicated at I39, Fig. 12. This slot is co-extensive in depth with the slot I36, and is narrow at the bottom of the gear I34 but widens out about a quarter of an inch from the bottom so that the knot whether a twist or a coil can be formed in the widened portion of the slot of the gear; said portion being of sufficient width to permit discharge of the completed knot, through the knotter, towards the bundle. As seen in Fig. 12,

the slot I39 flares outwardly for a portion of itsdepth so as to guide the wire I08 into the knotter head and has substantially parallel walls for the remainder of its depth. 1

Although I have shown a certain type of knotter mechanism the generic principles of my invention provide iorthe use of any equivalent device adapted to receive successive tie strands dur mg each binding operation directly from the wrapping means in parallel relation therein, and

positions shown in Fig. 16.

' in the position indicated in Fig; 2, with the end of the lead of the wire I08 cx'tending from the lead" off guide pulley below the plane of the support gripped by the gripper 25. The bundle is placed on .the support and manually located in binding and tying position against the abutment bars and above the knotter mechanism. If the bundle consists vofshooks, or a number of articles, the

same will be abutted against these bars whereby the -shooks, or articles, will be aligned for binding, but if a box, or object of definite dimensionsis being bound, it need only be located against theabutment bars. When the bundle is so located, it rests above and distant from the lead section of the wire I08 disposed in the passageway provided therefor between the stationary bundle supporting elements I2I, as

shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. First the foot lever I8 9 is tripped, throwing the clutch I5 into engagement with the main shaft 29 and the cycle of operation of the machine starts, the machine having one cycle of operation for the binding of each bundle. In the initial period of said cycle of operation, the cams 42 onthe shaft 20 cause actuation of, the bundle clamping bars 6| to clamp the bundle, as is clearlyevident from the showing of Figs. 2 and 2*. Simultaneously with the clamping of the bundle, the counterbalanced latching bars 82 are depressed so that the abutment bars are released. The gravity trips ,8! now hold the latching bars in depressed position. During the actuation of the clamping ,bars and while the bundle is held stationary by said bars in theposition in which it is manually placed, the member 38 and lead-oil guide pulleys 94 and 95 move in the arcuate path shown in Figdfi, from the initial position shown in Fig. 2 to the intermediate position of Fig. 3. The" wire, the end of which has been previously secured by the gripper I29, now encloses four sides of the bundle and is laid in the slot of the twister B34 and extended therebeyond to a position at which thegripping of a new lead thereof for the sub sequent binding operation may take place. The wire is wrapped into band formation about the its position below the plane of the bundle support, as shown in Fig. 2, to the position below the plane of the bundle support, shown in Fig. 3, during movement of the member 38 and lead-ofif guide pulleys 94 and 95 in their a'rcuate path of travel between the full line and broken line The intermittent gear 2 I next engages the gear 23 to cause rotation =.of the knotter mechanism driveshait II'I for effecting actuation of the-twister I34. As soon as the knot is well'started and binding security is assured, the-continued movement of the cams 42 releases the bundle clamping mechanism, but

the latching means for the abutment bars are still maintained in their lower position by reason of the engagement of the gravity trips 81. At the completion of the'knot, see Fig. 9, the cutter or knife I25, as it revolves, s'evers the wire extending between the tie and the pulley- 94 and at the same instant bends the free cut-oiI end over the spring actuated gripping element I29, and the end of the wire is laid in the groove I32, being held by the pressure of the spring I33. This cutting and gripping of the wire provides a newly gripped lead of the wire extending from the gripper I29 to the pulley 94. Immediately after the wire is severed and the free end is secured, the bundle conveyor is put into motion and the lugs I i, I23 engage the lower portion of the tied bundle and move the same out of the machine. This movement of the bundle pulls the knot 80 out of the slot of the knotter head. The bundle swings the abutment bars I8 upwardly'and also engages the gravity trips 87. While the bound bundle is being moved to release the knot from the twister and out of the machine, the cam groove 26 actuates the member 38 to return the same to the initial position of Fig. 2, and the newly gripped end of the wire changes its position from that shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 to the position shown in said Fig. 2; to provide for more ready and quick application of the wire about a succeeding bundle to be bound in the next. cycle of operation of the machine. In the construction of Figs. 2

and 3, it will be seen that the primary actuating elements 2I and 42, mounted on the drive shaft 2!],are designed toprovide simultaneous actuation of the clamping means and the bundle binding mechanism during the initial period of a cycle of operation of the machine and actuation of the bundle moving means simultaneously with the return of the bundle binding mechanism to the initial position of Fig. 2, during the final period of such cycle of operation. It will be understood that in reversing and moving the member 38 and lead-cit guide pulleys 94 and 95, or 94 and $5", with the newly gripped lead of the wire to the initial position of Fig. 2 simultaneously with the removal of the bound bundle from the twister, or out of the machine, my invention makes for lesser movement of said member and lead-off guide pulleys and more ready and quick application of the wire about a succeeding bundle to be bound in the next cycle of operation of the machine, than if said member and lead-0d guide pulleys remained at rest in the position at which the binding of the bundle is completed. .As soon as the bundle is clear of the machine, the abutment bars 78 swing downwardly to their initial position and the latch pieces 83 lock therewith to hold the same in upright position. Fig. 17 illustrates a machine adapted to plac two wires'simultaneously about a bundle andtie the same. Inasmuch as this machine is almost identical in construction with the previously described machine, only those parts will be touched upon which represent differences. Here the main drive shaft 20 mounts two of the intermittent gears 2I, one at each end. The trip portion I1 of the clutch passes through a bracket I40 mounted on the frame. There are two intennediate bundle supports I2-I each carrying a knotter mechanism. Screw-threaded adjusting rods! are connected with the chart -housings H8 in any desirable way, whereby turning of the shafts I41 adjusts the positions of the intermediate bundle supports. The bundle end supports 55 are independently adjustable by means of screwthreaded rods I42. There are two members 38 which are carried by the auxiliary frames 4|,and these auxiliary frames are adjustable independently of the remainder of the mechanisms by means of the screw-threaded shafts I 43 engaged with the main machine frame. The means for actuating the members 38 are duplicated oneach side of the machine. The bracket I46 holds the gear 34 in mesh with the quadrant gear 33 and 8.

single lorigltudinally extending shaft I having a keyway I 515 at each end provides means whereby the reversing or oscillation of the two members 38 takes place simultaneously. It is necessary that the adjustment of each member 38 correspond exactly withthe adjustment .of the intermediate bundle supports IZI in order that the wire may be laid into the slot in the knotter head as previously described. A machine of this charactor is not only capable of handling bundles of any length, height and width, but may place two or more bands about such bundles at the desired points The wire tensioning and slack take-up means described in connection with the machine having the single member 38 may be used with the machine of Fig. 17, if desired. For simplicity they are omitted from that figure.

Fig. 18 is an incomplete View of still another machine embodying the principles of the present invention and designed to handle two bundles,

which may be of different dimensions, simultaneously. With this machine, each bundle has a wire or band placed about it either at the middle or at any other desired point. This machine employs the construction of the previously described machine, but the arrangement is somewhat different. If Fig. 18 is compared with Fig. 17, it will be found that an intermediate bundle support I50 has been provided, which bundle support has associated therewith two bundle clamping means. This intermediate bundle support I50 is adapted to uphold the ends of two bundles which are in alinement longitudinally of the machine. Two

bundle alining means are also provided on this intermediate bundle support as well as two bundle conveying means. The clamping bars SW of the two bundle clamping means may be made independently adjustable so that while both are depressed by the same cam 42, two bundles of varying heights can be handled at the same time by the single machine. The abutment bars I8 are of course independently adjustable; hence two bun- .dles of different widths might also be bound and tied at the same time. The figure illustrates two bundles 63 63*, upon the machine, of which the bundle 63 is the longer. Obviously, by merely duplicating the bundle supports I50 and the ass'ociated mechanisms, it is possible to construct machines capable of binding and tying any numberof different sized bundles simultaneously,

Machines of the present application have features in common with the machine of Patent No.

1,295,531, reissued May 24, 1921, No. 15,111. The present machines also have features in common with two co-pending applications Serial Nos.

380,375 and 380,376, filed May 10, 1920. In the specification and claims, I have employed certain words and terms, the scope and meaning of which I hereinafter set forth.

When I use the word oscillatory, or terms indicating an oscillatory motion, I have reference to the alternating clockwise and counter-clockwise movements of the binding means in'a curvilinear path.

When I use the words around and about relative to the movement of the binding means, I have reference to the movement of the binding means a sufficient distance in a curvilinear path to wrap a wire into band formation about a bundle with portions of the wire band overlapped in the plane in which the wire was wrapped.

When I use the words within the path of travel, or within the path of movement, with reference to the bundle binding mechanism, I have reference to the movement of said mechanism as the same moves in its arcuate or curvilinear path about an imaginary axis above the When I use the term "lead or the wire, I

have reference to that advance portion of wire initially guided into position below the plane of the support for the purpose of beginning the banding of the bundle about the lower face thereof and providing the initial tie strand of the wire which is overlapped when the wire is wrapped into band formation about the bundle.

When I use the term fed portion of the ,wire, I have reference to that section of the wire delivered by the slack takeup and tensioning means and extending from said means to the gripping means.

When I use the words or terms convexed, convexly tension or c'onvexed tensioning, or words to such effect with respect to the wire, I have reference to the manner in which the wire is processed or tensioned to press or convex inwardly against the sides of the bundle, so as to tightly hug and lie substantially flat against the periphery thereof.

When I-use the term adiustably clamping, I have reference to the action of the bundle clamp in automatically accommodating itself-to clamp bundles of different dimensions within the range of compressibility of the yieldable means which compensate the action of said clamp.

If boxes are handled it is frequently desired to place fiat bands about the same. The machines of the present invention are readily adapted to do such work by eliminating the knotter mechanism or by merely disconnecting the same, and by changing the shapes of the pulleys so that they are adapted to guide flat bands instead of round wire, whereupon such bands may be placed about the boxes and secured in place by staples. When this work is done, a staple will first secure the free end of the band to the box at a low point thereon; then after the box hasbeen wrapped,

, a second staple will be used to hold the other end' of the band to the box. The machine may be stopped if desired at thisvpoint. The pulleys of the tension device may be slightly modified for fiat band in accordance with the construction disclosed in application Serial No. 380,376.

- "In view of the foregoing description of my machine it will be readily seen that the wire binding' device 38 (Figs. 9 and 16), has an oscillatory motionin an arcuate path of travel about a stationary bundle; that it draws out and wraps a wire progressively about the successive faces of the bundle and positions tie strands of the wire (Figs. 9 and 10) within the knotting mechanism without the aid of auxiliary devices; and while I herein show a certain type of binding mechanism for producing this bundle encircling movement, I feel entitled to claim any type of encircling device which is reversible relative to the knotter mechanism to provide for' the binding 0 bundles in the manner as aforesaid. Obviously the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiments thereof herein shown and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conjointly since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and subcombinations as defined in the claims.

What I claim is: 1. In a machine of the class described, a fixed bundle support; band gripping means below the support; means for operating the band gripping 'means to grip the band; means for guiding the band from the position at which it is gripped to another position below the plane of the support preparatory to the binding of a bundle, and means for moving the band guiding means whereby the.

band is wrapped entirely around a bundle placed on the support.

2. A machine of the class described; comprising, in combination, an oscillatory member for wrapping a wire about a bundle; spaced wireguiding wheels on said member for leading the supply wire; wire tying means including a rotary slotted twister disposed in the path of movement of the wire; some of the wire guiding wheels holding the supply wire spaced from all parts of the bundle and two of the guiding wheels arranged for guiding the wire into band formation about the bundle. and disposing within the slot of the twister each bight of the wire required to form the tie for securing the band about the bundle;

means to actuate the tying means; and means for oscillating the member comprising a rack and pinion, a drive shaft, a rotary element mounted on said drive shaft, and connections between the rack and said rotary element for reciprocating the rack to oscillate the pinion and binding memher.

3. In a machine of the class'described, band gripping means; means for operating the band gripping means to grip the band; means for guiding the band from the position at which it is gripped to a position below the plane of advancthe support during the movement of the guiding means.

4. In a machine 'of the class described, band gripping means; means for operating the band gripping means to grip the band; means for guiding a bundle into binding location; means for ing the band from the positionv at which it is gripped to a position below the plane of advancing a bundle into binding location; means for l supporting the bundle whereby the bundle stands over the band and rests in said location; means "for actuating the guidingmeans whereby the band encloses the stationary bundle; means operative to engage and press the bundle against its support during movement of the guiding means; means for tying the band; means for cutting the tied band free from the band; and means for moving the tied bundle out of 'tying. location.

5. In a machine of the class described, a bundle support, bundle abutment means mounted to swing above the support, and means for maintaining the abutment means normally in a position at right angles to the support, said means returning the abutment to its normal position after displacement. a

6. In a machine of the class described, a bundle support, bundle abutment means mounted to swing above the support, and means on the support for automatically 'latching the abutment means when in a position perpendicular to the support.

7. In a machine of the class described, a bundle support, bundle abutment means swinga-ble relative to the support, and locking means mounted 

